USC enjoys another strong finish on National Signing Day

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‘If you want to win a national championship, you have to sign those men that we signed today,’ USC coach Clay Helton said during a news conference announcing the Trojans’ recruiting class. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

LOS ANGELES — Olaijah Griffin, a talented cornerback from Mission Viejo High, sat in a director’s chair in an ESPN studio Wednesday morning, surrounded by more than a dozen friends and family members.

Griffin was prepared to unveil which college football program he planned to join among Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and USC.

“I’ll be heading to the university of,” Griffin began, before pointing to his right.

On cue, his father, rapper Warren G, popped a black balloon as if it was a gender reveal party, and gold confetti streamed out.

“Southern California,” Griffin continued. “Fight On!”

Amid cheers, Griffin raised a “V for victory” sign with his right hand and put on a cardinal-colored USC hat. A few minutes later, rapper Snoop Dogg joined him on the studio set, along with former Trojans linebacker Willie McGinest.

The final push for USC on National Signing Day, as in previous years, did not lack for drama.

Griffin’s announcement came an hour after Solomon Tuliaupupu, a top-rated linebacker from Mater Dei High, revealed he would also sign a letter of intent with the Trojans. His televised ceremony included a large King Kong figurine on a table.

Even with the inaugural early signing period in December – with almost three-fourths of recruits inking with schools – USC added four previously uncommitted prospects to its signing class. It similarly added six undeclared players last year on the traditional signing day in a strong finish.

With 18 signees by the evening, including five of the top six prospects in California, USC finished with a top-10 ranked recruiting class for a fifth consecutive year and moved up to No. 4 in the 247 Sports composite rankings.

“On the last day, their history, their tradition comes through,” Mack Brown, a college football analyst and former Texas coach, said on air following Griffin’s commitment.

Wide receiver Devon Williams (Antelope Valley High) and cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart (Helix High of San Diego) revealed their commitments in the afternoon.

Before Wednesday, the Trojans’ class included 10 signees, a smaller group than most of the top Power 5 Conference programs, and was outside the top-10.

They added eight more, including the four previously uncommitted recruits and four other players who had been committed prior to signing day: quarterback JT Daniels (Mater Dei High), wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (Mater Dei High), defensive lineman Trevor Trout (Chaminade College Prep of St. Louis) and linebacker Eli’jah Winston (Central Catholic High of Portland, Ore.).

Winston on Tuesday “flipped” from Oregon to the Trojans, after USC commit Tuli Letuligasenoa, a defensive tackle from Bay Area powerhouse De La Salle High, “flipped” to Washington.

“If you want to win a national championship, you have to sign those men that we signed today,” USC coach Clay Helton said during a news conference announcing the class.

Helton pointed to the longer-tenured assistants for aiding the final push. Offensive coordinator Tee Martin, he referenced, has been with the program since 2012.

“Those relationships are key,” Helton said.

The majority of the players the Trojans signed were on defense, including six linebackers and four defensive backs.

Helton cited the need to replace top pass rusher Rasheem Green, who declared early for the NFL draft, as well as Uchenna Nwosu, a disruptive outside linebacker who was a senior last fall.

He added the Trojans might see as many as six defensive backs leave after next season, noting the importance of signing the pair of cornerbacks (Griffin and Taylor-Stuart) on Wednesday.

Helton and his staff had a difficult balancing act. Because of little attrition on the roster, they were limited to a smaller recruiting class than in Helton’s previous two seasons.

“You had to be extremely strategic,” Helton said.

It is believed the 18 signees have pushed USC as many as four scholarships above the 85-scholarship limit, a development that could see several players depart as a result.

“We have the spaces,” Helton said. “When that time comes to give out information, if a young man is going to be here or not, we’ll make it at that time.”

The most-discussed recruit in the class was Daniels, the quarterback who reclassified into the 2018 class and is scheduled to arrive at USC for summer workouts after graduating a year early from Mater Dei.

Daniels is expected to compete with Matt Fink and Jack Sears for the starting job to replace NFL-bound Sam Darnold.

Helton said a playbook can be mailed via FedEx to Daniels as soon as Thursday. Daniels will have a chance.

Joey Kaufman is the USC beat writer for the Southern California News Group. Since joining the Orange County Register in 2015, he has also covered Major League Baseball and UCLA athletics. His work has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors and Football Writers Association of America. Kaufman grew up in beautiful downtown Burbank.